Nora Aunor (1953-2025)
Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 1:00PM
Nora Aunor in MIRACLE (1982)
World cinema has lost an acting legend. Yesterday, the passing of the Philippines’ Superstar - a multi-hyphenate performer across film, television, radio, theater - was announced by her family. With a career that spans six decades, 180 films, 260 singles, multiple genres, and hundreds of awards, Nora Aunor’s impact as an artist transcends the boundaries of Philippine cinema. Her longevity is not only astounding in quantity - she starred in 18 films in 1970 alone! - but she has been a central figure in some of the best works Philippine cinema has ever created.
Personally, Aunor is my favorite Filipino actor - male or female - of all-time. Her talent puts her up there with the world’s best like Meryl Streep, Isabelle Huppert, Liv Ullmann, Gong Li, Viola Davis, Sophia Loren, Setsuko Hara, and Fernanda Montenegro. If this is the first time you are reading about this thespian, trust me on this one: she's up there with the best of the best...
She has brought an intensity that is remarkably hers, with expressive eyes that heightens any dramatic moment in an instant. Her gravitas is in full force every time, absorbing the audience with even the smallest of nuance to the biggest outbursts. And her physicality moprhs with every character: she can be in a room filled with people taller than her, and yet she would still catch your attention with her attentiveness and dramatic force. You feel her commitment and command every time she is on screen. We have not even mentioned her “Golden Voice” yet; while she expertly deploys it when acting, her singing voice has single-handedly propelled her from an humble provincial lass to an unstoppable cultural icon unlike any other.
This petite morena (brown-skinned woman) redefined what a leading lady in cinema looked like. This is especially significant at a time when her contemporaries and the ones that came before her were almost exclusively statuesque mestizas (fair-skinned women), a remnant of the centuries-long colonial past that declared natives as inherently inferior, physically and otherwise. Aunor has shown that women (and men) who look like her - the majority of Filipinos, mind you - can headline films, TV shows, concerts, and theater plays without adhering to the colonial standards of beauty. She even established her own production company as proof of her pursuit of telling stories that center people like her.
Before she was the Superstar, she had humble beginnings from Southern Luzon.
Her ascent to stardom also coincided with the Second Golden Age of Philippine Cinema (1970s to 1980s), a time of socio-political turbulence driven by the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. This era in filmmaking resulted with the masters of cinema creating some of the most vital and subversive works the country has seen during the time of heavy censorship and political upheaval. During this time, Aunor worked with cinematic giants like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Mario O’Hara, and Gerardo de Leon, to name a few. Her politics later in life are questionable at best, but her work particularly during the 1970s and the 1980s advanced pressing issues and broke stereotypes in the process of discussing them.
And with that, we honor this barrier-breaking woman by mentioning some of her career-defining work as an actress. This is a list of films - in chronological order - that have available restored/remastered versions and with English subtitles, in order for non-Filipinos to also experience Nora Aunor’s brilliance that made her one of the best we ever had and ever will be.
BANAUE: STAIRWAY TO THE SKY (1975)
Dir. Gerardo de Leon
Aunor is the quiet center of this sprawling pre-colonial epic about tribal warfare and doomed love. While the film is less interested with being an acting vehicle than being an ethnographic immersion, she deftly traces the growth of her character from timidity to defiance. This is also notably the first film produced by her own production company. Available on Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube.
THREE GODLESS YEARS (1976)
Original Title: Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos
Dir. Mario O’Hara
This anti-war drama focuses on a town lass in who is in a relationship with a revolutionary and who was raped by a Japanese soldier during World War II, resulting in a child. At 23 years old, Aunor explores the depths of the protagonist’s torment with terrifying urgency, a constant negotiation of compromise and resistance in order to survive. Available on Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube.
ONCE A MOTH (1976)
Original Title: Minsa’y Isang Gamu-gamo
Dir. Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara
Aunor’s memorable line “my brother is not a pig” comes from this protest drama about the abuses committed by American forces with the presence of their military bases in contemporary Philippines. Her rude awakening from the American dream that she bought into is devastating. This protest drama was controversial during this time since the Marcoses were considered loyal allies of the United States. Available on Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube.
YOU ARE MINE (1978)
Original Title: Ikaw ay Akin
Dir. Ishmael Bernal
Working with acclaimed director Ishmael Bernal and fellow acting titan Vilma Santos, Aunor portrays a horticulturist stuck in a love triangle with his boyfriend and his other love. Despite the melodramatic nature of the story, Bernal opts for a muted chronicling of this story, letting the story unfold in uncomfortable silences and stares, culminating in a four-minute confrontation scene with no dialogue, only reliant on the stares of Aunor and Santos. Both actresses are glorious. Available on Apple TV and Prime Video.
BONA (1980)
Dir. Lino Brocka
In this neorealist drama, Brocka casts the Superstar as the ultimate fan to a bit actor. Fawning over him, giving him free snacks, and literally serving him at home while worshipping him with her eyes, Aunor’s interpretation of the titular character is indelible. Her high regard to someone who doesn’t think of her at all is heartbreaking to witness, but the ending is cathartic. Its restored version just premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, so we’re assuming a VOD/home video release is most likely imminent.
T-BIRD AT AKO (1982)
Dir. Danny L. Zialcita
The film sees Aunor and Santos reunite, now cast as a lesbian lawyer who takes interest with the case of a dancer who accidentally kills a man. Leave it to Aunor to make a meal out of campy direction, ridiculous dialogue, and regressive gender politics and still come out with a dignified performance. While far from ideal, her portrayal is empathetic and sensitive, bringing a much-needed queer representation in cinema for a highly conservative country. Available on Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube.
MIRACLE (1982)
Original Title: Himala
Dir. Ishmael Bernal
Aunor’s reunion with Ishmael Bernal resulted in a seminal work, not only for both artists but for Philippine cinema in its entirety. As a country lass who claims she has seen the Virgin Mary and started faith healing, Aunor’s haunting performance works magically with Bernal’s clinically minimalist vision of a town wasting away in limbo while holding on to their religion. It’s a lacerating commentary on the blind faith espoused by millions of Filipinos drowning in poverty during the dictatorship. Available on Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube.
FLOWERS OF THE CITY JAIL (1984)
Original Title: Bulaklak sa City Jail
Dir. Mario O’Hara
Collaborating again with director Mario O’hara resulted in another harrowing piece. This time, Aunor plays a woman incarcerated after being accused of murder and then realizes inside that she is pregnant. With a stacked cast of almost-all female actors, she serves as this film’s unwavering emotional anchor, giving grace and gravitas even during the film’s most grueling passages. This includes a thrilling climax that borders on the miserabilist, but Aunor makes it an astounding moment. Available on Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube.
THE FLOR CONTEMPLACION STORY (1995)
Dir. Joel Lamangan
In a rare instance of her doing a biopic, Aunor plays the titular character of an overseas worker executed by the Singaporean government over two counts of murder. While the film has sensationalist tendencies (the real-life execution happened in March of 1995 while the film was released in June), Aunor never makes a false note in depicting the complexity of her character. That she had little time to prepare for this film is just stunning considering the final output. This film also marks the first time Aunor has received an international award for her work, winning Best Actress at the 19th Cairo International Film Festival. Available on Prime Video and YouTube.
THY WOMB (2012)
Original Title: Sinapupunan
Dir. Brillante Mendoza
After an extended break during the mid-2000s, Aunor comes roaring back into cinema with his team-up with this Cannes Best Director winner. In this film, she plays a barren midwife who searches for a woman who could give her husband a child. It’s a piercing portrayal of selflessness while abiding by the silence expected of wives, channeling her innermost thoughts only through her eyes. Aunor won Best Actress at the 6th Asia Pacific Screen Awards for this performance. Available on Prime Video.
Other Major Works: Atsay (1978), Ina Ka ng Anak Mo (1979), Bakit Bughaw ang Langit? (1981), Minsan, May Isang Ina (1983), ‘Merika (1984), Condemned (1984), Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit (1989), Andrea, Paano Ba ang Maging Isang Ina? (1990), Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M. (1991), Bakit May Kahapon Pa? (1996), Sidhi (1999), Naglalayag (2004), Ang Kwento ni Mabuti (2013), Dementia (2014), Taklub (2015), Hinulid (2016), Tuos (2016)
Source: Janine Gutierrez/IG
If you haven’t been caught up with Nora Aunor’s work yet, consider this the perfect timing to discover this cinematic gem. All hail the Superstar!
Reader Comments (1)
The world has truly lost a cinematic legend. Nora Aunor wasn’t just a Superstar in the Philippines—she was a force of nature who broke barriers, redefined beauty standards, and gave voice to the voiceless through her craft.
Her unforgettable performances in films like Himala, Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, and Thy Womb prove she deserves to be mentioned alongside global icons like Meryl Streep and Viola Davis.
Nora Aunor's legacy reminds us how powerful film can be when it reflects truth, pain, and beauty with such grace and authenticity.
To explore more about her iconic work and timeless influence, visit Faithfuldreams to learn more.